Tesco told to solve parking

RETAIL giant Tesco has been given a year to sort out parking at its Felpham store.

Councillors imposed a 12-month limit on changes they approved for the deliveries to the busy Tesco Express outlet in Felpham Way.

Arun District Council’s development control committee agreed to relax restrictions on the times during which the deliveries can take place.

But their concerns about the safety of the site led them to agree to review the changes in a year.

Cllr John Charles (C, Barnham) said: “This place has the worst parking area I have seen in this town. It’s absolutely disgraceful.

“The lorries are supposed to go to parking bays at the back of the premises to make deliveries but they can’t because vehicles are parked there and they can’t get round.

“There is no control over parking. People do what they like where they like.

“There’s not much we can do with the layout. It’s the way people park that causes the problems.”

Cllr Barbara Oakley (C, Middleton) said: “The situation is appalling. I nearly had a prang there yesterday because of the extraordinary behaviour of another driver.”

Cllr Elaine Stainton (C, Felpham W) said: “It’s a nightmare. It’s so dangerous when these lorries park outside this shop. They have great big trollies they deliver this stuff in.

“They should really be going round the back. It would be much better and much safer.”

Cllr Paul Wells (LD, Hotham) said: “I can see why the conditions were put on in the first place because of the schools in close promixity in Pennyfields and people travelling there early in the morning and people travelling to work.

“I know there were a lot of doubts about that location when it was approved. I am not particularly happy about this new arrangement.”

The store, close to the roundabout with Flansham Lane/Felpham Way was approved by Arun in 2008 in a former car showroom. Councillors said then deliveries should only take place from 9am-4pm daily. Tesco asked Arun to allow it to extend that period to 6am-11pm daily.

But highway officers at West Sussex County Council objected. This led Tesco to amend its delivery times to 7am-11pm daily with a ban between 3pm-6pm. Only newspapers are allowed to be delivered in the early morning.

Arun’s members agreed to the timings at last Wednesday’s meeting. They also want Tesco to devise a delivery management plan within two months.

District council planning officer Dan Vick said: “It is expected this will set out measures for how the delivery parking area will remain open and unobstructed.

“For example, ‘no parking’ markings adjacent to the store – enforced by staff – the coning off of the area when deliveries are due and a system to ensure the store is notified of both Tesco and non-Tesco deliveries.”